Friday, June 24, 2011

Seized Cell Phone links Osama Bin Laden to Pakistan spies (ISI)

A cellphone of Osama bin Laden's trusted courier seized by U.S. forces shows links between the former Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden and a militant group connected to Pakistan's intelligence agency "ISI". [Source: New York Times]

The contact numbers in the phone reveals that bin Laden used the militant group Harakat-ul-Mujahedeen as part of his support network when he lived in Pakistan. The group has been mentored by Pakistan's spy agency ISI

In tracing the calls on the cellphone, American analysts have determined that Harakat commanders had called Pakistani intelligence officials.

Even today, the Harakat leader, Maulana Fazlur Rehman Khalil lives unbothered by Pakistani authorities on the outskirts of Islamabad.

Harakat “is one of the oldest and closest allies of Al Qaeda, and they are very, very close to the ISI,” said Bruce O. Riedel, a former CIA officer.

The question of ISI and Pakistani Army complicity in Bin Laden’s hide-out now hangs like a dark cloud over the entire relationship between Pakistan and the United States, Mr. Riedel said.

The phone discovery might also provide clues as to how bin Laden escaped from the Tora Bora region of Afghanistan nearly 10 years ago when American forces tried to capture him.

The Pakistan-based Harakat ul-Mujahideen is classified as a "terrorist" organisation by the United States.

Defence analysis group Jane's said the outfit has conducted raids on Indian security positions and is active in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. [Source: AFP]

Bin Laden's youngest wife, Amal Ahmed al-Sadah, is expected to leave Pakistan and return to her homeland, Yemen, in the following few days. U.S. forces have been holding Sadah, 29, since the May 2 raid on bin Laden's compound.

And, it seems Osama wanted to have new name for al-Quida to repair the image. [Source:AP]Bin Laden wrote in a letter recovered from his compound in Pakistan, was that al-Quida lacked a religious element, something to convince Muslims worldwide that they are in a holy war with America. Maybe something like Taifat al-Tawhed Wal-Jihad, meaning Monotheism and Jihad Group, would do the trick, he wrote.